LANSING, Mich. — Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer reported Thursday having $14 million available in her campaign fundraising account, 26 times the total disclosed by her Republican opponent Tudor Dixon, $523,930.
The new campaign finance filings from Whitmer and Dixon cover from July 18 through Aug. 22, 78 days before Election Day. The numbers raised concerns about the ability of Dixon to get her message out to voters this fall, political observers said. She will be the top Republican on the ticket in a key battleground state.
"Campaigns cost money, and she doesn't have any," said Adrian Hemond, CEO of the Lansing-based political consulting firm Grassroots Midwest. "I can't put it any plainer than that."
Dixon, a political commentator and businesswoman from Norton Shores, won a competitive primary race on Aug. 2 to become the GOP nominee for governor. She has not run for office before.
From July 18 through Aug. 22, Dixon's campaign reported raising $685,779 and spending $699,749.
Dixon reported about 5,400 individual contributions. From Aug. 3, the day after becoming the Republican nominee, until Aug. 22, Dixon's campaign reported raising $490,625.
Among the top donors to Dixon for the full period were Michigan Republican Party Chairman Ron Weiser, who gave $7,150, J.C. Huizenga of National Heritage Academies, who gave $7,150, and Autocam President John Kennedy, who gave $6,150.
The maximum contribution allowed by an individual to a candidate for statewide office in Michigan is $7,150. Political action committees (PACs) can give up to $71,500.
Whitmer's campaign reported raising about $2.4 million and spending about $3.1 million from July 18 through Aug. 22.
Whitmer's disclosure featured about 26,000 individual contributions.
Among the well-known donors were Melinda French Gates, ex-wife of Bill Gates, who gave $7,150; Los Angeles Clippers owner and Detroit native Steve Ballmer, who gave $7,000; "Cheers" actress Rhea Perlman, who gave $5,000; and General Motors CEO Mary Barra, who gave $2,500 to Whitmer's re-election campaign.
A committee of the Service Employees International Union gave Whitmer $51,500, the Iron Workers Local 25 PAC donated $25,000 and the General Motors PAC contributed $10,000.
A little over half of Whitmer's contributions (51%) for the period came from donors listing Michigan addresses, according to the disclosure.
About 65% of Dixon's latest fundraising haul came from donors listing Michigan addresses.
Whitmer, who gained national attention during the COVID-19 pandemic, has been able to use the spotlight to raise money from across the country.
Already, the Democratic Governors Association has also pumped millions of dollars into TV ads in the Michigan race through a group called Put Michigan First. A super PAC called Michigan Families United has been supporting Dixon. Those groups' expenditures were not included in Thursday's disclosures.
Whitmer won her first term in 2018 by 9 percentage points over Republican Bill Schuette.
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